Ayee! Blast, my bloody feet!

Okay, not quite literally, but close! I don't know what it is, but whenever I go for a long(ish --yesterday was only ~10 or 12 km) trek in hiking boots, my heels always end up scraped up & raw; last night was no exception. All in all, it's more annoying than anything, and really makes me look like a total candy ass. I mean, while the rest of me was tired from a longish walk on hilly terrain in hot weather, I could have likely pressed on till dark (another couple hours or so) if circumstances required it, without too much difficulty. However, the feeling of my skin being ripped off a little more with each step kinda takes the fun out of walking. If that weren't enough, several of my toes took a bit of a beating, too, so it's not like I can just favor my heels and put my weight further forward. Sorry to whine so much about it, but I keep getting the nagging feeling that this isn't completely "normal," and perhaps everyone doesn't have to wear only open-toed, backless shoes for a day or two after a quality hike?